What I haven’t planned — and what I’m hunched over the tray table madly scribbling in my notebook — is a shoot list. That is to say, a short list of stock photos that I want to be sure to capture during my trip.

Travel photographer Efrain Padro, who sells some of his photos as stock through his own site, says that creating a shoot list helps keep you on track when you’re on a tight travel schedule — which we definitely are.

It also helps you focus on those shots you know you want to get. Once you get those, you’re free to be creative and enjoy shooting whatever you’d like.

So what do you put on your travel stock photo shoot list?

Stock photographer Shelly Perry says that if you want to take saleable stock photos when you travel, you should look for iconic shots — or as Shelly puts it, “those places, objects, activities or traditions that are only found in a particular destination.” She suggests looking for iconic places, traditions, and people or animals.

With those things in mind, here’s my shoot list for this trip:

Iconic Places

The Grand Palace

The Reclining Buddha

Bangkok skyline at sunset

Iconic Traditions

Hands in prayer

Hands cooking Pad Thai in a street stand

Buddha statues

Tuk-tuks (small scooter taxis)

Iconic People/Animals

Monks in their saffron robes (cropped to the hands or feet to avoid a model release)

Elephants in the jungle

I’m also including a few detail shots on my list:

Colorful mirrored mosaics

Tropical drinks

Tropical fruits and vegetables that we don’t get at home

Market knick-knacks

Food of all kinds

While you’re researching your next trip, think about the most iconic things you’ll see and do. Create a shoot list from that and you’ll be more likely to come away with stock-worthy shots. Also check on stock sites for some of the most popular images of that place and see if you can do a new take on them.

I’ll let you know how it goes and send some photos from the trip next week.

Congrats to Margaret Gaines, who’s getting her stock sales going… From Margaret Gaines: Just found out I had the required 10 accepted at 123rf, so that makes 4 sites I’m submitting to. Got my second sale this week. I need to find some more marketable photos.

And welcome to new BSC members!

From Sarah King: Thanks for adding me! New photographer thinking about starting some stock photography… Thanks Pat for pointing me in this direction! Time to start learning! 🙂

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]